Sichuan Quake Relief

SQR was touched and proud to receive the following testimonial from Nigel Pritchard, a British teacher based in Shanghai who volunteered for our SAME camps over the summer.

The human cost of the Sichuan earthquake, on May 12th 2008, is of course immeasurable. The official figure for lives lost is 68,712. There are still more than 18,000 people listed as missing. Tragically, we have not only to consider so many mothers, fathers and children so painfully lost, but also the catastrophic emotional affect on families, loved ones and communities that survived. Then for a moment consider what else is lost, including homes, schools, jobs and the infrastructure needed for a society to thrive. The psychological and practical impacts are daunting. Rebuilding lives and infrastructure is the enormous task facing the communities, organisations, charities and NGOs that are involved in coordinating immediate relief work and long term projects. Sichuan Quake Relief (SQR) is one such organisation. Founded by a group of Chinese and foreign residents of Chengdu on 13th May 2008, the day after the earthquake, SQR is working tirelessly on many fronts. Its objectives include reconstruction, coordinating projects and working with other organisations to provide long term support to those affected by the earthquake.

Just two hours north of Chengdu is the small town of Xinshi. It was here that I had the humbling and rewarding experience of volunteering for SQR at a kindergarten for one week during July. Most students were aged between 2 and 6 years old, though on some days we had a smattering of older students turn up too. The volunteer group was evenly divided by Chinese and foreign volunteers, from far reaching parts of both China and the globe. During our time there we were welcomed with limitless warmth and hospitality by Principal Zeng and her staff. We camped down in the classrooms in the evenings and became accustomed to early morning cold water washes at the sink. Students began arriving from about 7.am. In a town that, to our knowledge, had seen no foreign visitors previously to suddenly have six in your playground proved to be quite a surprise. The sounds and sights of a playground are universal as is children’s curiosity, from a shy and reticent look from a distance to more direct and confident inquisitiveness. Though language differences create communication hurdles to overcome it never proves to be a barrier that inhibits children from inquiry. This fact became more evident throughout our five days at the school. We divided into teaching teams with each foreigner and Chinese volunteer working together with support from the usual teacher from the kindergarten. It should be noted that communication was also a challenge for some Chinese volunteers as younger students did not speak Mandarin but used a Sichuan dialect. However, this provided for some interesting and amusing moments involving communication in the classroom!

The students’ day was divided between Sport, Art, Music and English lessons, all taught in English. We were aware that students’ current level of English was at complete zero, so we knew what a challenge this would be. For the five days we decided to focus on body parts, animals, colours and shapes, as well as introduce some simple everyday expressions and vocabulary. Each subject area was integrated into lessons and we reviewed these themes on a daily basis. To see such development and confidence with English flourish in many students over five days was astounding. The even greater achievement however proved to be the relationship that developed between the volunteers and students. Though we were teaching English, the overall purpose of such visits is greater. We may hope that we make connections that break down barriers between cultures and that we simply bring something that is rewarding to children’s lives at this time. This sense of reward most definitely worked two ways. I should also state just how much fun and laughter we all shared together and I can say with certainty that each volunteer left feeling emotionally touched and enriched by their experiences. As volunteers in the earthquake area it was natural for us to think back to last year. Images of the earthquake remained firmly fixed in our minds as we considered the lasting impact upon the people of Xinshi. However, these thoughts were so often overwhelmed by being welcomed with such warmth and hospitality. A prevailing sense of community was something that was so clearly evident throughout the town. That this sense of community was extended to us so openly in our short time there undoubtedly left a deep impression upon all of us.

Volunteering is of course just one important part of the process of rebuilding communities and lives. Currently SQR is also involved with numerous other projects to assist affected areas. These include fund raising events, building of schools and collecting essential resources. As SQRs scope and breadth of projects widen it is seeking more people to become actively involved at the organisational level. Though not essential, experience with education, health care, fund raising, media communications or construction would be deemed of great benefit to SQR’s development and progress with future projects. The work goes on. Part of the challenge now facing organisations is to keep the earthquake within people’s consciousness in order to get the people, money, resources, and expertise needed to sustain development and progress in affected areas.

It is hoped that through the continued and unrelenting effort of individuals, communities, private enterprise, and local and national government that SQR and other organisations can continue to rebuild towns and subsequently rebuild people’s lives too.

We thank Nigel and all the other volunteers who had their hand in making the SAME Camps as successful as they were.